Surprising details
Bears in the Bible
7 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.
- David struck down a lion and a bear that took lambs1 Sam 17:34–37
The verses
1 Sam 17:34–37David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”
- Two female bears mauled forty-two boys who jeered at Elisha2 Kgs 2:23–24
The verses
2 Kgs 2:23–24From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
- David and his men are fierce as a bear robbed of her cubs2 Sam 17:8
The verses
2 Sam 17:8He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.
- Better meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his follyProv 17:12
The verses
Prov 17:12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
- A harsh ruler is like a charging bearProv 28:15
The verses
Prov 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
- Fleeing a lion, only to meet a bearAmos 5:19
The verses
Amos 5:19It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake.
- We all growl like bearsIsa 59:11
The verses
Isa 59:11We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but find none, for salvation, but it is far from us.
Sources
From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain